Musician Nile Rodgers on writing hits and US politics

18 July 2013 Last updated at 18:58 BST

Nile Rogers the man behind disco favourites Chic, and hit-maker to the stars, including David Bowie, Madonna and Daft Punk has been making music for five decades.

The self-effacing Rodgers has tended to let his music do the talking. But in a guitar store in London, he told Newsnight's Stephen Smith his thoughts on everything from how to make hit records, to racism in America. He even had a go at the notoriously tricky Newsnight songbook.